Guidance
Documentation requirements
The ISO Navigator™ database hyperlinks the ISO 9000:2005 principles and the ISO 9001:2008 requirements; and explains them in plain English with practical guidance.
This guidance has been superseded by ISO 9001:2026 Clause 7.5 Documented Information. If you want to see a comparison matrix that correlates the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 to the revised requirements of ISO 9001:2015, please click here to begin comparing.
Our range of ISO 9001:2026 quality manuals and integrated manual templates cover the requirements of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and offer an easy way to implement and document your organization's quality management system or integrated management system.
ISO 9001:2008: Control of records 4.2.4 (superseded)
Your organization must implement a documented procedure to define the controls needed for the identification, storage, protection, retrieval, retention and disposition of records and that these records must remain legible and identifiable throughout their retention period. Records prove the efficacy of the QMS.
- Records prove compliance against requirements
- Develop and implement the control of records procedure
- Maintain the legibility and accessibility of QMS documents and records
Implementing a document management system could mean keeping certain records that your organization might not be already keeping. Some of these records may seem a little confusing until you become more familiar with the quality standard.
Of course, you are free to keep more records than those listed below, if you feel your organization needs them, but as we always preach; keep your system simple. The fewer documents and records you keep, the fewer things that will be audited, and the more time you will have to actually run your business.
Keep in mind that you are free to combine some of these records where it makes sense, for example, you could combine the corrective and preventive action request log with a simple checkbox to note which one it is.
You could also combine both corrective and preventive action requests onto one form, again with a simple check box to designate its purpose. The following clauses of ISO 9001 contain the instruction 'see 4.2.4' which means that you must retain these 21 records:
- 5.6.1 Management review minutes
- 6.2.2 Records of education, training, skills and experience
- 7.1 Evidence that the realization processes and product fulfil requirements
- 7.2.2 Records of sales activities
- 7.3.2 Design and development inputs
- 7.3.4 Design and development reviews and any related actions
- 7.3.5 Design and development verification and any related actions
- 7.3.6 Design and development validation and any related actions
- 7.3.7 Design and development changes and any related actions
- 7.4.1 Results of supplier evaluations and any actions arising
- 7.5.2 Records to demonstrate the validation of special processes
- 7.5.3 Records of product identification where traceability is required
- 7.5.4 Customer property that is lost, damaged or found to be unsuitable
- 7.6 Basis used for calibration where no standards exist
- 7.6 Validity of the previous results when equipment is out of calibration
- 7.6 Results of calibration and verification of measuring equipment
- 8.2.2 Internal audit results and follow-up actions
- 8.2.4 Indication of the person(s) authorizing release of product
- 8.3 Records of the product non-conformities and any subsequent actions
- 8.5.2 Results of corrective action
- 8.5.3 Results of preventive action
Looking for ISO 9001 mandatory procedure templates? Our quality manual template provides a great foundation for establishing, implementing and documenting the six mandatory procedures that are required by the standard.
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- About documented information
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ISO Navigator™ is our FREE online training tool that shows you how to apply the principles of PDCA to your operations. We also offer many helpful templates that get you on the road to documenting your management system, please visit the download page.